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Our Lady of Catalina
| approval = May 9, 1871 by | shrine = Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Catalina | patronage = Sierra (1945) Western Anglo-America (1922) | attributes = A woman with medium complexion donning a blue tunic robe covered in an emblazoned beige mantle with six-pointed stars while she carries the }}Our Lady of Catalina ( : Notre Dame de Catherine; : Nuestra Señora de Catalina), also known as the Madonna of Grands Ballons, is a title of the associated with a venerated image enshrined in the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Catalina in Grands Ballons, Gold Coast. The basilica is the most-visited sacred site in Sierra, and was constructed in a way which is oriented in the traditional direction the Our Lady of Catalina appeared before the skies according to accounts. authorized devotion to the Marian title on May 9, 1871 and designated the date of celebration on the same day, commemorating the anniversary of the purported sighting of the Marian apparition. granted the image a on December 19, 1896. The image is based off of the principal accounts of the Blessed Jacques Sagard and Ignacio Borrero, a French seaman and a Spanish soldier respectively, as well as twelve other witnesses, who reported seeing the in the waters between the Channel Islands and the Sierran mainland. The event has been cited as one of the key events responsible for the development and growth of colonial Sierra, specifically for the Channel Islands and the Southwest Corridor. The Marian title and devotional image is closely associated with Saintiana, a cultural region spanning across Southern Gold Coast and coastal Orange. It is one of the most culturally significant symbols in Sierra, and has become the de facto representation of Catholicism in Sierra vis-à-vis Saint . Various miracles have been attributed to Our Lady of Catalina and believers have asserted that the enshrined image housed in the Minor Basilica has supernatural properties, including being able to withstand damage from falling over and other occurrences. The image is featured at many altars in Sierran Catholic homes and adorns various forms of religious objects including and . History During the late 18th century, the Spanish and French colonized southern Sierra and the Channel Islands respectively. The Spanish with the support of the Catholic Church, established a network of missions throughout its territorial holdings as a means to solidify their claims to the region, and to Christianize the indigenous Amerindian tribes. Although the Spanish made significant progress in exploring and mapping out the Sierran interior, interest in developing a large colony in Sierra was a low priority, as the Spanish Empire was primarily invested in the colonial and economic affairs of Mexico and its other Spanish American colonies. Despite rumors and reports that Sierra had gold and other bountiful resources, the Spanish did not discover any during their rule, and as a result, did not see any economic value to the colony beyond its ports offering anchorage to ships returning from the Asia-Pacific region. Nonetheless, the Sierran mainland was suitable for farming and ranching, which the Spanish divided into land grants which it allocated to colonists and soldiers. The Channel Islands also hosted a small colony of Frenchmen who settled with Spanish permission and support. A localized economy and trade developed between the Channel Islands and Spanish Sierra, though activity remained minimal in the years leading up to Our Lady of Catalina's initial appearance. Marian apparition Miracles Catholic Church Pontifical approbations Cultural significance Patronage See also *Religion in Sierra *Channel Islands *Gold Coast *Grands Ballons Category:Kingdom of Sierra Category:Channel Islands Category:Gold Coast Category:Grands Ballons Category:Religion in Sierra Category:Symbols of Sierra